17102019 - FG cuts travels, estacodes for ministers, other officials

Vanguard, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 17, 2019—15
Igbo leaders meet Buhari today
By Anayo Okoli
E NUGU—GOVERNORS
from South-East, select
Igbo leaders, including
prominent traditional rulers,
will meet President
Muhammadu Buhari in the
State House today.
By Chinonso Alozie
OWERRI—THERE is tension
in Imo as herdsmen,
Tuesday night, attacked a hunter,
Eze Anorue, in Amakohia-Ubi
community, Owerri West Local
Government Area of Imo State,
leaving him with injuries.
An eyewitness told Vanguard in
Owerri that Anorue, who was
attacked at about 9p.m. has been
rushed to an undisclosed
hospital.
The source said before the
attack, Anorue had been
confronted and his motorcycle
collected from him while he was
on his way to the bush for his
hunting expedition.
The herders were said to have
later ambushed him while he was
hunting and used matchetes on
him. He escaped to a nearby
village where he was helped by
the residents.
At the moment, many of the
villagers, who called on
Also on the delegation are
some members of the National
Assembly from the zone.
Yesterday, the presidency
was said to have despatched
a presidential jet to Imo
Airport, Owerri, to take some
of the delegates to Abuja
ahead of the meeting.
Vanguard, said they would not
sleep tonight as the attack have
taken a dangerous dimension.
They added that they would keep
vigil against any further attack.
Youths of the community were
said to have mobilised in different
groups with a view to protect the
vulnerable ones among them.
The meeting is expected to
discuss issues bordering on
the zone, including the closed
Akanu Ibiam International
Airport, the deplorable
condition of some federal
roads in the zone, among
others.
On Monday, the South-East
Tension, as herdsmen attack hunter in Imo
By Joseph Erunke
ABUJA—THE Nigerian
Army has renamed
Operation Python Dance to
Operation Dance for Peace.
Operation Python Dance,
otherwise known as
Operation Egwu Eke,
which was launched at the
wake of heightened tension
in the South-East following
activities of the now
outlawed Indigenous
People of Biafra,IPOB, was
rechristened, yesterday,
By Vincent Ujumadu
A WKA—STAKEHOLDERS
across the various political
parties in Anambra State have
begun a tour of the three
senatorial zones in the state to
drive home their campaign for
Governor Willie Obiano’s
successor to come from Anambra
South senatorial zone.
Members of the forum are
mainly former political office
holders, including former
commissioners, local government
chairmen, House of
A source said to Vanguard: “We
can’t understand what is
happening now. They have
started attacking us in the night.
What it means is that these people
have come for war.
“Do you people expect us to
sleep or remain silent? We must
protect ourselves. How can they
Representatives and state House
of Assembly members, senatorial
candidates and other notable
political figures.
Operating on the platform of
Great Anambra Forum,
GAFORUM, facilitator of the
group, Chief Fabian Ozoigbo,
told reporters in Awka that they
were impressed with the response
of Anambra people from the three
senatorial zones, irrespective of
their political leanings.
According to Ozoigbo, the
group has been interacting with
the people at the grassroots to
governors met with other
leaders in the region to
articulate their position ahead
of today’s meeting.
The issue of the closed
airport has been generating
discussions in the zone, more
so as the Yuletide is fast
approaching.
SMA SHOTS: From left— Stakeholders, Mr. Obinna Ike; Mr. Mike Tomson; Head, Distribution in Nigeria, Mr. Tosin
Obafemi; CEO, SMA Shots, Mr. Sebastian Gronskov, and Mr. Olasege Marqus, during the launch of SMA Shots in Lagos.
PHOTO: Akeem Salau.
plan to kill any of us? I sense a
midnight attack on our people.
Anorue has just been rushed to
the hospital. Who knows the next
victim?
“We must stand up and protect
ourselves. This must be stopped
and our people must be allowed
to enjoy their freedom.”
Stakeholders go South for Obiano’s successor
Army renames Operation Python Dance
Operation Atilogwu;
meaning Operation Dance
for Peace in Igbo.
The Army, which
announced the change in
the operation’s
nomenclature through the
Media Coordinator of the
operation, Colonel Aminu
Iliyasu, however, did not
state the reason for the
action.
The operation,
designated for South-East
and South-South,
according to the Nigerian
Army, begins on November
1.
It is expected to address
the current insecurity being
experienced in the two
neighbouring geo-political
zones.
The statement by the
Nigerian Army announcing
the change in name, read
in part: ”The authorities of
the Nigerian Army wish to
inform the general public
of the change of name of
one of its annual training
exercises codenamed
Exercise EGWU EKE to
Exercise Atilogwu Udo.
“The annual training
exercise commenced in
2016 and has consistently
recorded remarkable
successes since its
introduction.”
The Army’s
action,Vanguard gathered,
may not be unconnected
with opposition trailing its
planned relaunch of the
operation in the regions,
considered by most citizens
as peaceful.
sensitise them on the issue.
He said 12 of the 18 persons,
who had indicated interest in the
governorship election, were from
Anambra South, adding that the
expectation was that with time,
aspirants from the other two
senatorial zones would withdraw
to join hands in finding an ideal
person from the South.
Ozoigbo said equity means
the same thing as zoning,
adding that the group was not
interested in any political party,
but what was the best for
Anambra people.
Ihedioha
inaugurates
Ahiajoku
Lecture c'ttee
GOVERNOR
Emeka
Ihedioha of Imo State has
inaugurated the 2019 Ahiajoku
Lecture Series committee
towards reviving the rich
cultural heritage of Igbo.
Governor Ihedioha said the
Lecture Series had made the
state unique among other
states in the federation because
of its attachment
to education, scholarly works
and culture.
Inaugurating the 2019
committee at Sam Mbakwe
Executive Council Chambers,
Government House, Owerri,
yesterday, he charged
members of the committee to
take cognizance of the
importance of the lecture in
rebuilding the state.
He said: “Ahiajoku Lecture
has distinguished Imo among
scholarly states. It has,
indeed, stood us out as a state
in love with education, which
is our mainstay because of our
very high literacy rate.”
He noted that the Ahiajoku
Lecture will continue to
play significant roles in
promoting Igbo culture,
tradition and contribute
significantly in the rebuilding
process of Imo State.
He said members of the
committee were carefully
chosen for their track records
and for the fact that they will
do the state proud.
Dr. Fesobi for burial
LAGOS-based medical
practitioner, Chief Adekunle
Fesobi, Otun Baawosan of
Mushin, Lagos, who died after
a protracted illness at the age
of 65, will be buried today at
St. John The Evangelical
Catholic Church, Ijebu-Iloti,
Ogun State.